Hot-water heating apparatus.



0'. OSTBR.

HOT WATER HEATING APPARATUS.

APPLIOAI'IOK FILED JULY 81, 180B.

Patented Jan. 19,1900.

' cross sectional view UNITED T OFFICE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

Appllofltion med July 31, 190B. florist No. 448,360.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO OBTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wellston, St. Louis county, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hdt W'ater Heatin" A paratus,'of which the following is a in l, c ear, and exact descri tion, such as will enable others skilled in t e art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is 'a diagrammatic view of 1 hot water heatin apparatus constructed in accordance witi my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partlly in section of part of said apparatus; an Fi 3 is a horizontal the race tacle in which the mercury tube is arran e and also the conduit located adjacent sai receptacle.

This invention relates to hot water heating apparatuses, and articularly to the relief va ves used in we 1 apparatuses for permitting the water in the system to flow into the expansion tank when a certain pressure is obtained.

The invention relates particularly to that t pe of valves which have a mercury seal that cuts oil the water in the system from the water in the expansion tank, and one object of my invention is to provide a novel valve of the type referred to which is so constructed that the mercury will always follow a certain path and return to its normal position when it is displaced by the pressure of the water in the system. I

' Another object of my invention isto provide a hot water heating apparatus having a relief valve arranged between the water circulating pipes of the system and the expansion tank, and novel means for cutting said valve out of service and establishing direct communication between the ex ansion tank and the'circulating pipes o the system.

Other objects and. desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, 1 designates a hot water heater, 2 designates one 0 end of the conduit the radiators of the systern and 3 and a respectively, designate the suppl pipe 9.1

return ipethat connect the ra iator with the boi er of the heater 1. A pipe 5 that communicates with one of the supply pipes of the system establishes communication e- .into the water 0 passes into the expansion tank.

5 horizontal construction herein shown said valve 0011- sists of an approximately tubular-shaped receptacle A that communicates with the pi a 5, an open-ended tube B arranged insi e of said receptacle and having its lower end terminating a slight distance from the bottom of said receptacle and its u per end pro'ect-ing through an opening in t 1e to of sai rece mile, and a conduit C lea ing from the ower end of the receptacle A to a water chamber 'D that communicates with the tube B and the expansion tank. A 'uanlily of mercury E is arranged in the ower end of the receptacle A and inl the lower end of the conduit 0 to form a seal that prevents thewater in the system from flowing into the expansion tank until a certain pressure has been obtained.

The lower end of the tube B terminates in a lower horizontal plane than the lower end of the conduit C, and the upper end of said tube also terminates in a lower horizontal lane than the upper end of the conduit C. onsequently, when the Wfiteldll the receptacle A expands the mercury which lies in the tube B and in the conduit C will. be forced upwardly until the mercury in the bottom of the receptacle has been displaced sufliciently to permit the water in said receptacleto rush u i the conduit C and thence hainber D from which it The meronly that has been forced upwardly in the conduit and out of the upper end of said conduit drops downwardly into the n per end of the tube B down which it trave s to its normal positionin the lower end of the receptacle A. In a valve of this construction the bulk of the mercury always rises in the tube B and the lower end of sa d tube remains sealed because the pressure in the receptacle A is relieved as soon as the mercury has been dis laced from the lower lane than the lower end 0 the tube B. he mercury that is forced upwardly and out of the iglpper end of the con duit C will never ten 0 returnthrough said conduit to its normal position for gravwhich is in a hi er ity causes said mercury to fall into the upper end of the tube B. Consequentl in an apparatus of this construction tlie mercury always follows a certain path and never interferes with or impedes the flow of the watlgr that is escaping into the expansion tan The receptacle A, tube B and conduit (1 can be formed in various ways but I prefer to form them in the manner shown in Fig. 2 on account of the low cost of manufacture. The receptacle A consists of a piece of pipe or tubing that has its lower end closed by a hollow cast member 8 provided with a base 9, internal screw-threads that receive screw-threads on the lower end of said pipe, and also a laterally projecting boss 10 into which an elbow 11 is screwed. The uptper end of the pipe that forms the body 0 the receptacle A is screwed into a hollow cast. member 12 provided with a transversely extending partition 13 that forms the top of the receptacle A, said partition having a screw-threaded opening thatreceives the upper end of the tube B. The pipe 5 that leads from one of the supply pipes of the system is provided with an ordinary T 14 and said T is connected to a laterally projecting boss 15 on the member 12 by means of a screw-threaded nipple 16, said boss 15 being located below the transversely extending partition 13. A boss 17 projects laterally from the member 12 above the partition 13, and an elbow 18, which is screwed lHLO said boss, receives the upper end of the conduit C. The conduit C 'can either consist of a single piece of pipe or be formed in sections that are connected to- 'ether by a union 19, as shown in Fig. 2.

he water chamber D that is located above the artition in the member 12 is formed part y by said member and a piece of pipe 20 that is sore ad into the up er end of said member. Instead of having tli directly to the bottom of the expansion tank 6 I prefer to provide the expansion tank with a downwardly projecting pipe 21 that passes through a .cap 22 on the upper end of the pipe 20, the pipe 21 being of less diameter than the pipe 20 and projecting down ardly into same, for quite a distance.

Am .r feature of the invention herein described is the novel means whereby I am able to establish direct communication between the pi e 5 that leads from the water circulating pipes of the system and the expansion tank so that the water will not have to pass into the receptacle A and up through the conduit C. One advantage of constructing the apparatus in this manner is that I can convert it into an apparatus in which the water in the system can flow into the expansion tank when only a low pressure has been obtained. Another advantage is that T can establish communication bee pipe 20 lead 1 tween the waiter circulating pipes and the atmosphere when the system 1s being filled with water or when the water is being drawn oft.

The means herein shown for. accomplishmg the results above referred to consists of a pipe 23 connected to the pipe fraud tapped into the water chamber I), thus forming a by-pass around the mercury seal valve prev ously described. The lower end of the pipe 23 is tapped into the T 14 and the upper end of said pipe is tapped into the cap 22, and a valve 24 is arranged in said pipe for cutting off the flow of water therethrough. This valve is normally closed and at such times the water in the system will not flow into the expansion tank until said water has become very hot and thus expanded sufliciently to break the mercury seal that closes the lower end of the conduit C. When it is desired to operate the system at a low pressure the valve 24 is opened so as to cut the mercury valve out of service.

' \Vhen the valve 24 is open the water in the system will tlow into the expansion tank as soon as a comparatively low pressure is obtained. I also open the valve 24 whenever I fill. the system with fresh water or whenever I run the water out of the system for by opening said valve 1 establish communication between the circulating pipes of the system and the atmosphere due to the fact that the expansion tank 6 contains air.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A hot water heating apparatus provided with a mercury valve consisting of a closed receptacle that is adapted to be filled with water from the circulating i es of the system, a water chamber located a ove said receptacle and having an outlet that is adapted to communicate with an expansion tank or the atmosphere, a conduit located outside of said receptacle and leading from the lower end thereof to said water chamher, a quantity of mercury in said receptacle whichnormally closes the lower end of said conduit, and a tube in said receptacle having its upper end terminating below the upper end of said conduit and its lower end termi-.

nating below the lower end of said conduit, the upper end of said tube communicating with said water chamber; substantially as described.

2. A mercury valve for a hot water heating apparatus comprising a closed receptacle which consists of a piece of pipe or tubing having its ends connected to hollow cast members and adapted to receive water from municate with an expansion tankor the atmosphere, a condultarranged outside of said receptacle and having its lower end connected to said lower cast member and its upper end connected to said upper cast memher at a point above said partition, a tube arranged in said receptacle and having ts upper end open and assing through said partition with which it cooperates to form a tight joint, the upper end of said tube terminating below the upper end of said conduit, and a quantity of mercur in said receptacle which normally closes the lower end of said conduit; substantially as described.

3. A mercury valve for a hot water heating a paratus, comprising a closed receptacle w ich consists of a piece of pipe or tubing having its upper and lower ends connected to approximately tubular-shaped members, the member at the lower end ct said ipe being provided with a base and the member at the upper endrof the pipe being provided with a transversely extending partition and also being provided with an outlet that is adapted to communicate with an expansion tank or the atmosphere, a supply pipe entering said u per member below said partition, a conduit eadin from said lower member and connected to t, e up er member above said partition, an open-en ed tube arranged in said rece tacle and having its up- )er and lower ends terminating in lower orizontal planes than the upper and lower ends of said conduit, the upper end of said tube being 0 en and passing through said partition wit which it coiiperates to form a ti ht joint, and a quantity of mercury in sai recgptacle that not-mall closes the lower en of said condu1t;-su stantially as described.

4. A hot water heating apparatus provided with a mercury valve consisting of a closed receptacle that is adapted to be filled with water from the circulating pi es of the system, a water chamber located a ove said receptacle and having an outlet that is ada ted to communicate with an expansion tan or the atmosphere, a conduit located outside of said receptacle and leading from the lower end thereof to said water chamher, a quantity of mercury in said receptacle which normally closes the lower end of said conduit, and a tube in said receptacle com- ,niunicating withsaid Water chamber and having its u per end terminating in a lower horizontal l ane than the upper end of said conduit; su stantially as described.

5. A hot water heating apparatus provided with a mercury valve consisting of a closed receptacle that is adapted to be filled with water from the circulating pi es of the system, a water chamber located a ove said receptacle and having an outlet that is adapted to communicate with an expansion tank or the atmosphere, a conduit located outside of said receptacle and leading from the lower end thereof to said water chamher, a quantit of mercury in said receptacle which uorma ly closes the lower end of said conduit, and a tube in said receptacle communicating with said water chamber and having its upper end terminating below the upper end of said conduit; substantially as described. i

6. A hot water heating a paratus provided with an ex ansion tanli a pipe that communicates wit the circulating pipes of the system, a tubular-shaped closed recepta- ('le connected to said pipe and adapted to rerated above said receptacle and communicating with the expansion tank, a conduit arranged outside of said receptacle and lead ing from the lower end thereof to said water chamber, a quantity of mercury in said receptacle which normally closes the lower end of said conduit, a tube in said receptacle communicating with said water chamber and having its upper end terminating below the upper end 0 said conduit, a branch leading from the pipe that communicates with the eirculatin pipes to said water chamber, and a valve or cutting off the flow of water through said branch; substantially as de scribed.

In testimony whereof I-hereunto aflix my signature in the'presence of two witnesses, this twenty-seventh day of July, 1908.

' OTTO OSTER.

\Vitnesses:

News L. Cannon, Guonoa BAKEWELL. 

